FROM LANGUAGE COMPETENCE TO A CULTURE OF LEADERSHIP: THE POTENTIAL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE EDUCATION IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Abstract

This paper explores the potential of foreign language education in secondary schools to foster a culture of leadership. It proceeds from the understanding that language competence encompasses not only mastery of vocabulary and grammatical rules but also the ability to engage in dialogue, construct arguments, listen actively, and take cultural context into account. The paper examines how learning activities such as discussions, project work, role-playing, and case studies can encourage student initiative, cooperation, and responsibility. Particular emphasis is placed on the access to leadership ideas and practices from other countries that foreign language proficiency provides, as well as on the need to critically evaluate this experience and adapt it to the local context. The paper argues that, through a purposeful pedagogical approach, foreign language education can contribute to the development of values and behaviours associated with a culture of leadership in schools.